128 



THE ACOMA INDIANS 



[ETH. ANN. 47 



I took 35 prayer sticks and classified them according to design, 

 paintings, etc. I foimd about 17 different types. There were three 

 or foiu- sticks in each of a few tj^pes, but only one in many others. 

 The classification was based upon the following factors: Kind of 

 wood, shape of the "head" (i. e., the peeled) end, whether pointed, 

 beveled, or cut square across, the number and position of the grooves, 

 the position of feathers, color — red, yellow, or green. There were 

 10 sticks, each of which was difl^erent in its combination of the above 

 elements from any other stick. I tried to have these sticks classi- 

 fied by informants, but the results were very imsatisf actory ; not 

 only did the informants disagree, but the 

 same informant betrayed deplorable dis- 

 crepancies in repeated classifications (at 

 intervals of time). There are, I believe, 

 three factors which determme the precise 

 design of a prayer stick: (a) The person 

 or group making it — ^i. e., whether it be 

 the cacique or the war chief, or dancers 

 from Haimatats or Dautkorits estufas; (6) 

 the occasion — e. g., a solstice, at natyati, 

 etc. ; (c) the spirit to whom the stick is 

 ofl'ered — latik", Masewi or the k'atsina. 

 Each one of these three groups of factors 

 contains a great many elements. There 

 are many groups in the vUlage, many 

 supernaturals, and a great variet}" of 

 occasions for honoiing them. The com- 

 binations and permutations made pos- 

 sible by all of these factors (each repre- 

 sented by a styhstic device) must be very 

 numerous indeed. If 17 types are foimd 

 in 35 sticks, how many would be found in 

 300 sticks? The difficulty encountered in 

 having informants classify prayer sticks 

 is due largely, I believe, to the high esoteric character of these items 

 of paraphemaha; one group probably does not know anything about 

 the stick used by another. The most one could e.xpect from a smgle 

 person would be a complete hst of sticks that he himself would use 

 on all occasions and for all spirits. 



Prayer sticks, either in the shape of a cross or a single stick with 

 the cross painted on the head end, are offered to the Catholic God. 

 They are painted with eyes and mouth, and feathers are tied to them 

 as to other prayer sticks. Years ago, it is said, God (called Yocthi, 

 from Spanish Dios?) said to latik", the mother of the Indians, "If 



Figure 4. — Ceremonial objects 



